Obligation
by Dukes126plus
Summary: Then again, Dukes have never had clear reasons for what they do, at least not beyond the old standby of that’s the way it’s always been. From Return of the Ridge Raiders.


From _Return of the Ridge Raiders_, which featured Jesse and his generation. And a mention of an Aunt Lavinia that was clearly not Jesse deceased wife (and it gets tricky anyway, because sometimes Jesse's deceased wife was Martha and sometimes she was Lavinia).

Anyway, the inspiration for this one was Luke's line about "Don't a man have an obligation to tell his family what's wrong?"

* * *

"Don't a man have an obligation to tell his family what's wrong?" That's Luke, shaming Jesse by turning his own words against him. Oh sure, it's a thing that has to be done. The old man's been taking the kind of risks no one over twenty-five should try. Running from the law when he ain't got the physical wherewithal to get his whole body moving in just any one direction all at once; seems like half of him wants to stay right where it is while the rest goes scampering off in the pickup. It's going to get the old man caught, and he and Luke don't even know what he's doing or why.

Then again, Dukes have never had clear reasons for what they do, at least not beyond the old standby of _that's the way it's always been. _Life is largely a matter of trying to keep from getting killed or arrested, the latter possibly being the worse of the two options.

So despite suggestions of escape to their surviving Aunt Lavinia's, the boys are duty-bound to protect their uncle. They spend one day snooping on the man, and the next chasing him and his cronies around, trying to keep them from getting their fool selves sent off to spend retirement in the state pen.

Shoot, Bo's not even sure why the Ridgeraiders want a senior center. When it comes right down to it, they're a spry bunch that ought to enjoy Boss's Piggy Playpen, or whatever it is he's calling the thinly-veiled striptease act that he's adding to the Boar's Nest's entertainment.

Which leaves Bo with two questions. First, why Jesse's so worried about his old cronies, instead of Daisy's involvement in a clearly inappropriate activity, and second, how come Bo's eyes think ogling Hogg's Pretty Piggies is a fine idea, but his hands have no aspirations toward touching them.

Fortunately, he doesn't really have time to ponder either one. Daisy gets herself fired and Jesse gets himself jailed, and he and Luke save the day by seeing that the county funds get rerouted back to supporting the seniors.

It's in those hours when Hazzard is forbidden to be active, after dark and with a quiet but steady drizzle on his bedside windowpane, that Bo is left with nothing but time to muddle over Luke's words. About the obligations of a man to his family, and confessing what's wrong. Thing is, there's no words for it, leastwise not the kind Uncle Jesse ever wants him to use. Still, he's got responsibilities.

So he throws back the sheet that wasn't doing much for him anyway, and debates whether to take himself off to the bathroom or over to Luke. His dilemma is resolved when his light sleeping cousin turns over at the slightest noise and opens his eyes. Must be the porch light reflecting off the droplets of rain that provides just enough of a glow for the cousins to see each other by. Luke snorts.

"That for me?" he asks.

It's duty and obligation really, that makes him nod.

"Bo…" Yeah, Luke doesn't believe him, and the wisest course of action would be to let it go, laugh it off and tell Luke what he wants to hear. _Actually, cuz, I was just thinking of girls in form fitting pink satin with little coiled springs for tails_. But he can't, because Dukes don't lie. So what if his stomach is looking for an exit out his belly button, and all the moisture has drained down from his mouth into his more vital organs. He can tell the truth or stay silent, and those are his only choices.

Luke's sitting up now, turning to face Bo in a mirrored posture. "That's really for me," he says, amazed. "You get that way a lot?"

Oh, well damn it all, they aren't going to talk about this. He gets up with every intention of stalking off to the bathroom, maybe even taking up residence there. What the heck, with a few kinks and curls, his body will find a way to wrap around the toilet and catch a few minutes of sleep here and there. Daisy will bring him his meals, and there's the outhouse that he and Luke rebuilt if anyone ever needs facilities.

He doesn't make it out of the room, and he has no idea whose fault it is. All he knows is he's got too much leg for the way he's suddenly sit-squatting in Luke's lap, a tight hold around his shoulders keeping him there while he lets his lips fulfill the obligation of telling Luke what's been wrong, and Luke's tongue does its best to make things right.


End file.
